Keenyn Walker

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #23 prospect in 2014
  Drafted out of high school in 2009 (Cubs) and again in 2010 out of Central Arizona JC (Phillies), Walker finally signed with the White Sox as their top pick in 2011, receiving a $795,000 bonus as a sandwich pick. He was a regular in Birmingham's outfield playing all three spots but wasn't ready for the jump, posting the second-lowest batting average (.201) by a qualifier in the Southern League while leading it in strikeouts (153), caught stealing (15) and errors by an outfielder (11). Walker packs speed and strength into his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame, though he has little power to speak of with his present slap-and-dash approach. He will draw a walk but doesn't fare well with two strikes and could stand to be more aggressive with fastballs. He's a potentially outstanding defender in center field, with plus speed, excellent range thanks to good reads off the bat and a solid-average arm. As at the plate, he can get sloppy in the field, and Walker needs polish even to reach a fourth-outfielder ceiling, which seems more reasonable at this stage. He could return to Birmingham, at least to begin 2014.
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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #5 prospect in 2013
  A star defensive back in high school, Walker drew football interest from Boise State and some Pacific-12 Conference programs. He chose to play baseball at Central Arizona JC, where he led national juco players with 70 steals and became Chicago's top pick (supplemental first round) in 2011. Signed for $795,000, he topped the system with 56 swipes in his first full pro season. He missed a month with two disabled-list stints in the second half after sustaining nagging knee and shoulder injuries during baserunning mishaps. Walker's plus-plus speed allows him to run wild on the bases and cover a lot of ground in center field. He likes to play shallow and has a solid arm. His quickness also allows him to collect infield hits, and his ability to draw walks gives him strong on-base skills. However, Walker strikes out too much from both sides of the plate. The White Sox have worked with him on widening his stance and improving his pitch recognition. He doesn't have much power from either side but is a little more dangerous as a lefty. Walker struggled when he got to high Class A in mid-July, so he'll probably return to Winston-Salem to begin 2013. He'll need time to develop and may not be ready for the majors until the end of 2015.
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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #5 prospect in 2012
  Recruited as a safety by Boise State and some Pacific-10 Conference programs, Walker gave up football after leaving high school. He also turned down the Cubs as a 16throunder in 2009 and the Phillies as a 38th-rounder in 2010 before Chicago made him its top pick (47th overall) in 2011. He signed for a slightly over-slot $795,000 after leading national juco players with 70 steals in 73 tries for Central Arizona JC. Walker's plus-plus speed makes him a game-changer on the bases and helps him in center field, but he has a lot of work to do as a hitter. A switch-hitter, he was overmatched from both sides of the plate after reaching low Class A. He swings and misses frequently and has yet to show the gap power as a pro that he displayed in junior college. Walker is still a bit raw defensively, but he has plus range and arm strength for center field. Walker is a potential top-of-theorder force, though he'll need time to refine his offense and defense. Because he played with a wood bat in junior college, the Sox think he could make rapid adjustments to pro pitching in 2012. They'll send him back to Kannapolis with the potential for a midseason promotion.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: A star d efensive back in high school, Walker drew football interest from Boise State and some Pacific-12 Conference programs. He chose to play baseball at Central Arizona JC, where he led national juco players with 70 steals and became Chicago's top pick (supplemental first round) in 2011. Signed for $795,000, he topped the system with 56 swipes in his first full pro season. Scouting Report: Walker's plus-plus speed allows him to run wild on the bases and cover a lot of ground in center field. He likes to play shallow and has a solid arm. His quickness also allows him to collect infield hits, and his ability to draw walks gives him strong on-base skills. However, Walker strikes out too much from both sides of the plate. The White Sox have worked with him on widening his stance and improving his pitch recognition. He doesn't have much power from either side but is a little more dangerous as a lefty. The Future: Walker struggled when he got to high Class A in mid-July, so he'll probably return to Winston-Salem to begin 2013. He'll need time to develop and may not be ready for the majors until the end of 2015. If he can make adjustments at the plate, his speed and on-base ability would fit nicely in Chicago's lineup.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Recruited as a safety by Boise State and some Pacific-12 Conference programs, Walker gave up football after leaving high school. He also turned down the Cubs as a 16th-rounder in 2009 and the Phillies as a 38th-rounder in 2010 before Chicago made him its top pick (47th overall) in 2011. He signed for a slightly over-slot $795,000 after leading national juco players with 70 steals in 73 tries for Central Arizona JC.Scouting Report: Walker's plus-plus speed makes him a game-changer on the bases and helps him in center field, but he has a lot of work to do as a hitter. A switch-hitter, he was overmatched from both sides of the plate after reaching low Class A. He swings and misses frequently and has yet to show the gap power he displayed in junior college. Walker is still a bit raw defensively, but he has plus range and arm strength for center field. The Future: Walker is a potential top-of-the-order force, though he'll need time to refine his offense and defense. Because he played with a wood bat in junior college, the Sox think he could make rapid adjustments to pro pitching in 2012. They'll send him back to Kannapolis with the potential for a midseason promotion.